Elbow injury could keep Hawks’ Wada sidelined for one month

FUKUOKA – Former big league pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada’s left elbow issue has been diagnosed as inflammation, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks announced Tuesday.

The diagnosis came a day after the 36-year-old was forced to cut short his bullpen session at the Hawks’ minor league facility in Chikugo, Fukuoka Prefecture. He won’t throw now for at least a week and is not expected to return to action with the Pacific League club for at least a month.

Wada, who spent four years in the United States but only appeared in the majors during his last two with the Chicago Cubs, returned to Japan last season and this year was the Hawks’ Opening Day starter for the first time in seven years.

He has won both his starts this season, but left his game against the Seibu Lions on April 7 with stiffness in his elbow after allowing two runs in five innings. He was deactivated four days later.

“As long as there is concern, we’ve decided to have him take time off (from throwing),” Hawks skipper Kimiyasu Kudo said.

The Hawks are also without right-handed starter Shota Takeda due to shoulder inflammation.